A vehicle is typically parked after the shift range of its transmission is set as a P-range and its parking brake is operated. However, in so-called double parking in which a vehicle is parked in front of the other parked vehicle due to the lack of parking space, the vehicle is parked after its transmission is set to be in an N-range and its parking brake is released in order to push and move the double-parked vehicle to move the vehicle parked inside the same.
In recent years, a vehicle generally has a start button or a smart key. If the vehicle is stopped in an N-range state, the door of the vehicle may not be locked because the vehicle is in an ACC mode and the power thereof is not turned off. To resolve this issue, a shift lock release button is provided adjacent to a shift lever. Accordingly, when the shift lever is set to be an N-range in the state in which the shift lock release button is pressed after the engine of the vehicle is turned off in a P-range, the power of the vehicle is turned off to enable the door to be locked.
However, since a driver must use both hands when operating the shift lever from the P-range to the N-range for parking in such a case, there is a risk of releasing a steering wheel from the hands. The operation of the shift lock release button is inconvenient since the shift lock release button is very small and since the shift lock release button has to be maintained until the lever is shifted in the state in which the shift lock release button is pressed. In addition, it is disadvantageous in terms of cost, weight and layout since a separate shift lock release structure has to be installed to the lever and a button has to be installed on the upper surface of a console.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.